Hero of the Week: Wisconsin Officer runs into burning barn, frees trapped cows

This week's hero is a Police officer from Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin who noticed a barn on fire and ran to ensure everyone - people and animals were safe. He freed some frightened cows in danger.

(Photo: Sturgeon Bay police officer Andrew Crabb. Credit: Sturgeon Bay Police Dept.) 

Caught on camera: Officer runs into burning barn, frees cows trapped near fire

Associated Press, Updated: 9:36 AM EDT July 7, 2023

STURGEON BAY, Wis. — A Wisconsin police officer who ran into a burning barn and found three cows near flames says the bovines “made a beeline” for the safety of a pasture once he opened a gate holding them back.

Sturgeon Bay police officer Andrew Crabb was nearing the end of his overnight shift on the morning of June 25 when he spotted smoke coming from a barn at a farm. He stopped, dashed across a field and entered the barn, finding the cows trapped and mooing in distress.

“Once I realized what was going on inside that barn, I realized the gate didn’t get undone and those cows were not going to make it," Crabb told Fox News Digital. “So I ran in there and got the gate and then got them out. And I didn’t have to really encourage them too much. They knew exactly what they needed to do once that gate was open.”

Crabb said the cows “made a beeline” out of the barn and joined the rest of the herd in the pasture. He said the three cows had been kept in the barn overnight because they were deemed “prone to escape.”

VIDEO: https://fb.watch/lDRbbsmr93/

Police body camera video shows Crabb entering the barn, with flames near the animals. After he removes a chain from the gate, Crabb says “come on guys” and the cows quickly make their way out of the barn.

“Thankfully, everyone was safe!” Sturgeon Bay police said in a post on the department's Facebook page. Crabb said an all-volunteer fire brigade was able to “save the majority" of the barn.

MEET THE HERO: Officer Andrew Crabb started on April 3, 2017 with the Sturgeon Bay Police Department. Officer Crabb grew up in Wausau, WI, and served in the US Navy from 2000-2007. His time in the Navy included being a Marine Diesel Mechanic and being assigned to a Visit Board Search and Seizure Team.

Officer Crabb obtained an Associate's Degree in Criminal Justice from Northcentral Technical College and a Bachelor's Degree in Public Administration from Upper Iowa University.

Officer Crabb previously worked as a Police Officer for the Marathon City Police Department between 2009-2017. He and his family chose to make Sturgeon Bay home because of the small town feel of the community and the outdoor activities the area offers. 

 (Source: Sturgeon Bay Police Blog: http://sturgeonbaypolicedepartment.blogspot.com/2017/05/sturgeon-bay-welcomes-new-officers.html)